List which exercises IMPROVED each bodypart the most

[juggy38]

Try using a lighter weight. Also, I like both db and cable variations.

Thanks. What rep ranges? 10-15?


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[Dens228]

Also, try not to shrug your shoulders which often happens when the weight is too heavy. Keep them down.

 

[Jefe]

How do you guys hit the delts with lateral raises the best? I feel laterals a lot in my traps

Lying lateral raises. I used the incline situp board to lay on. 20 or 30 degrees.

 

[kubes]

How do you guys hit the delts with lateral raises the best? I feel laterals a lot in my traps


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If it's hitting traps you are probably going to heavy. Try lighter weight and focus on not raising higher than your shoulder. Hold the weight there for a second or two on each rep


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[juggy38]

Thanks guys!


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[TrinityD]

Regarding the T-bar rows with a v-bar hooked underneath (I just call them traditional T-bar rows), I couldn't agree more. Nothing, and I mean nothing has even come close to making my entire lats grow more.

Many guys confuse their lats with their teres major, often referring to them as their "upper" lats. Lots of guys have great teres major and comparatively shitty lats. Dennis Wolf is one example. He has tremendous T. major development--just massive, which adds tremendous width to his upper back, but once you get down to his lats their is very little thickness.

Many guys underestimate just how big the T. major can potentially get...and they're absolutely essential to developing maximum upper-back width, BUT they seem to be much easier for BB'rs to target than the lats themselves. If anyone says they have poor development in the inner and lower lats, then they have poor lat development period, as that is where 90% of the lats are located.

There is no such things good "upper" lats and poor "lower" lats. That is like saying someone has good lower biceps and poor upper biceps. Now, we can transfer more or less stress to the inner/outer biceps depending on positioning, but whichever head is being worked, it will be activated equally from top to bottom...at both insertion points. We can't increase or decrease stress on the upper/lower biceps, as the muscle fibers pull from both insertion points equally in order to lift the weight. You can't work one end of a muscle fiber without working the other. This is why we never see anyone with massively developed lower biceps and poor upper biceps, or vioce versa. Any differences in shape is simply due to genetics and/or varied levels of development between the inner biceps, outer biceps, and brachialis.

It is the same way with the lats. The muscle fibers run from the very top of the lats to the very bottom. You can't place more or less tress on one end of a muscle fiber. You either work the entire muscle fiber or you don't work it at all. This is why I find it funny when I hear guys say that they need to work on their "lower" lats, as if their upper-lats are comparatively overdeveloped. This is nonsense.

We hear all the time how things like wide grip pulldowns/chins work the upper lats and close grip pulldowns/chins work the lower lats, but in reality, this is not true. Wide grip chins tend to place more stress on the T. major, which will cause the upper-back to widen considerably. The T.major is a potentially large muscle originating under the armpit. However, we only see a portion of this muscle when flexing our back. Most of it is hidden from view, as it runs underneath the upper portion of the lats. So, when this muscle is developed, it makes it look like the upper lats have gotten bigger. This is why we see so many guys who seem to have big upper-lats up by the armpit, but very little meat once you get below that point.

Good lat development is easy to spot, but few guys have it. This is because they don't know how to actually work their lats. The traditional T-bar row is one of the best pure lat builders...and is a great alternative for anyone who can't seem to get the hang of Yates 70 degree rows. When done properly, this single exercise will pack slabs of beef running along each side of your spine all the way from your hips to your lower traps and fanning out all the way up to the insertion point by your armpits. When you are working your lats properly, the entire lat will grow. If just the upper portion of your lats seem to be growing, then it is likely you aren't growing your lats at all, but rather, your T. major.

Glad people are circulating this info. I've known this since day 1 am people thought I was dumb for saying it.

Wide grip Pulldowns don't train your Lats Imo lol. They're an upper back exercises.

Yates Row and tbar rows are ridiculously good if you do them right. Ronnie Coleman anyone? ^ ^

 

[Dens228]

I find t-bars and close grip pulldowns to be my favorite, most effective movements. I use cable handles from LPG Muscle, they are the same company that make "haulin hooks"

They allow some hand rotation has alleviated stress on my elbows and wrists.

 

[Bobby Biceps]

First of all, GREAT THREAD! Looks like I'm gonna hit some t-bar rows. Can't wait for back day. I love low pulley rows, but the pulley has to be just a little bit higher. Not every one is the same. Gripping with mostly the pinky and ring finger while consciously pulling with the lats, using the arms only as hooks and squeezing the contraction for just a second or so really hits my lats hard.

 

[DK0223]

Great thread. I'm not that experienced but if I had to guess...

Chest- decline db

Back width- pulldowns

Back thickness- bb rows

Quads- Squats

Calves- standing calf raises

Hams- lying leg curl

Traps- shrugs

Front delts - Db press

Side delts- db laterals

Rear delts- reverse pec deck

Biceps- bb curls

Triceps - push downs

 

[TrinityD]

Lying vs Seated Leg Curl. Which you guys like better for overall ham growth?

I say Lying is best for most. Seated is best for me. Both have their purposes and can be used Same workout though(obv)

 

[kubes]

Lying vs Seated Leg Curl. Which you guys like better for overall ham growth?



I say Lying is best for most. Seated is best for me. Both have their purposes and can be used Same workout though(obv)

I have always felt like I could go heavier laying. I prefer laying but I do seated if someone else is using the machine


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[heavyhitter]

Lying vs Seated Leg Curl. Which you guys like better for overall ham growth?

I say Lying is best for most. Seated is best for me. Both have their purposes and can be used Same workout though(obv)

Lying leg curls with a micro mini band on it equals fuckin awesome contraction and ham cramps that last all day

 

[TrinityD]

Ohhh that sounds really fun ^ ^

 

[Equalizer]

Regarding the T-bar rows with a v-bar hooked underneath (I just call them traditional T-bar rows), I couldn't agree more. Nothing, and I mean nothing has even come close to making my entire lats grow more.

Many guys confuse their lats with their teres major, often referring to them as their "upper" lats. Lots of guys have great teres major and comparatively shitty lats. Dennis Wolf is one example. He has tremendous T. major development--just massive, which adds tremendous width to his upper back, but once you get down to his lats their is very little thickness.

Many guys underestimate just how big the T. major can potentially get...and they're absolutely essential to developing maximum upper-back width, BUT they seem to be much easier for BB'rs to target than the lats themselves. If anyone says they have poor development in the inner and lower lats, then they have poor lat development period, as that is where 90% of the lats are located.

There is no such things good "upper" lats and poor "lower" lats. That is like saying someone has good lower biceps and poor upper biceps. Now, we can transfer more or less stress to the inner/outer biceps depending on positioning, but whichever head is being worked, it will be activated equally from top to bottom...at both insertion points. We can't increase or decrease stress on the upper/lower biceps, as the muscle fibers pull from both insertion points equally in order to lift the weight. You can't work one end of a muscle fiber without working the other. This is why we never see anyone with massively developed lower biceps and poor upper biceps, or vioce versa. Any differences in shape is simply due to genetics and/or varied levels of development between the inner biceps, outer biceps, and brachialis.

It is the same way with the lats. The muscle fibers run from the very top of the lats to the very bottom. You can't place more or less tress on one end of a muscle fiber. You either work the entire muscle fiber or you don't work it at all. This is why I find it funny when I hear guys say that they need to work on their "lower" lats, as if their upper-lats are comparatively overdeveloped. This is nonsense.

We hear all the time how things like wide grip pulldowns/chins work the upper lats and close grip pulldowns/chins work the lower lats, but in reality, this is not true. Wide grip chins tend to place more stress on the T. major, which will cause the upper-back to widen considerably. The T.major is a potentially large muscle originating under the armpit. However, we only see a portion of this muscle when flexing our back. Most of it is hidden from view, as it runs underneath the upper portion of the lats. So, when this muscle is developed, it makes it look like the upper lats have gotten bigger. This is why we see so many guys who seem to have big upper-lats up by the armpit, but very little meat once you get below that point.

Good lat development is easy to spot, but few guys have it. This is because they don't know how to actually work their lats. The traditional T-bar row is one of the best pure lat builders...and is a great alternative for anyone who can't seem to get the hang of Yates 70 degree rows. When done properly, this single exercise will pack slabs of beef running along each side of your spine all the way from your hips to your lower traps and fanning out all the way up to the insertion point by your armpits. When you are working your lats properly, the entire lat will grow. If just the upper portion of your lats seem to be growing, then it is likely you aren't growing your lats at all, but rather, your T. major.

Mike, Do you use standard 45lb plates on that T-Bar or smaller ones?

 

[juggy38]

Paused front squats really "widens" my thighs, I get lots of VMO and lateralis activation.

Hams: heavy semi-stiff leg deads

Chest: incline barbell

Shoulders: mine suck

Tricep: heavy skulls or JM press

Back: DB rows high reps 15-20 and rack pulls for thickness

Biceps: mine suck


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[Sandpig]

Delts - without question - wide grip upright rows.

I agree 100 %

 

[Sandpig]

Lying leg curls with a micro mini band on it equals fuckin awesome contraction and ham cramps that last all day

I get a great contraction by grabbing the top of the pad and tucking my elbows under my ribs. keeps body on a slight incline and since you can't rock your body it keeps cheating to a minimum.

 

[Mike Arnold]

Mike, Do you use standard 45lb plates on that T-Bar or smaller ones?

Standard. I don't find any need to increase the range of motion with smaller plates, as the larger plates provide a range of motion with an almost perfect strength curve. By adding a few extra inches to the range of motion with smaller plates, I find that I need to use considerably less weight just to pull it up to full contraction.

The fullest range of motion possible isn't always the best. You have to find the best range of motion for each exercise and with traditional T-bar rows, I find that using 45 pound plates is just about perfect.

If the longest range of motion was always the best, the only exercise we would ever need to do for back would be the full-range machine pullover, as they take the elbows from above the head all the way down into the waist. The range of motion is very long, and while a great exercise, there are several others with a much smaller range of motion which work wonders, as well.

For example, the traditional barbell row starts with the elbows basically straight out in front of your torso and are pulled into the waist. The range of motion is only about half as long as the pullover machine, but as everyone knows, the barbell row is a great mass-builder. The traditional T-bar row has an even shorter range of motion, as the elbows aren't that far from the waist to begin with, yet it packs on lat mass like no other.

I don't have a problem with anyone using smaller plates on T-bar rows...I just don't think the exercise is necessarily improved just because the range of motion is slightly increased. It is our structure that determine which plates are better, as someone with a very deep torso and short arms will not need to pull the bar as far as someone with a shallow torso and long arms. For the guy with the deep torso and short arms, he may indeed be better off with using smaller plates, but the other guy may be better off sticking with 45's. It's all individual.

 

[JG_0808]

T-Bars are great if done properly i.e. retracting your scapula.

Most people I see doing them turn it into a bicep exercise as their back is rounded.

 

[Baseline]

Trinity,

Damn bro, I am SO late on this thread! LOL

So I have a suggestion that may work for a lot of people. It is in regards to "activating" muscles and not a specific exercise. I am going to use Barbell Bicep Curls for example, if you are not feeling your biceps activate fully, at the bottom the the movement flex "hard" your Triceps then squeeze on the way up and you should feel the Biceps activate and fully engage from that point on. You can to this with any muscle group, on the eccentric portion of your rep, flex hard and that will engage the opposing muscle group on the concentric portion of your rep.

Also, Tbar/Vbar rows, I have done them pretty much my whole life, love them but I do have a question for everyone, do you guys adjust where you pull up the bar to? Meaning do you guys pull up to the middle of your stomach some sets and vary to pulling up to lower chest or lower stomach. Just move it around a little? Do you guys find this beneficial or do you just keep it in the same position every workout every set? Thanks Fellas!


-Baseline